Edwin sanford phelps



E. S. PHELPS.

ELAPSED TIME REGISTER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20,191 9.

Patented Oct. 26, 1920.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN SANFORD PHELPS, 0F ELIZABETH, NEW ERSEY.

' 'ELAPSED-TIME REGISTER.

To (HZ wlzom 'izf/nmg concern Be it known that I, EDWIN S. FHnLrs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elizabeth, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Elapsed-Timelle-gisters; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and'to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to means for making a record of the period of running of an engine or other mechanical motor, and more particularly for making a record of the sum total of the period the motor has run, expressed preferably in units of time although it may be expressed in units of distance traveled. 4

It has for its object in a recording de-- vice the elements of a continuously operat-' ing power transmitting means, a recording device or counter, a moving member whose period of movement is to be recorded, and means for effecting a cooperative connection or coupling between the member whose movement is to be recorded, the continuously operating power transmitting mem ber, and the recording device or counter, so that the latter will be actuated from the continuously operating power transmitting means only while the member Whose movement is to be recorded is in motion, the continuously operating power transmission means and the recording device or counter at other times being uncoupled or operatively disconnected one from the other. Vith the elements arranged to operate as specified the recording device or counter is operated directly from the continuously operating power transmission means when the two are operatively connected together which is automatically effected by the engine or machine whose movement is to be recorded and by which an even movement and accurate working of the recording means are obtained and the sum total of the period of operation is furnished. The number of parts for making the record are reduced to the minimum and the elimination of parts liable to cause derangement made possible and the use of the device in places or un- Specificati'on of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 26, 1920. 1919. SeriaLNo. 305,495.

der conditions where economy of space is a factor is also made possible.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and such other objects as may hereinafter appear the invention consists in the features hereinafter particularly described and then sought to be clearly defined by the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing illustrating one embodiment of the invention, and in which, v I

Figure 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of the invention, with parts in section and partially broken away;

Fig. 2 a detail showing a connection between the shiftable clutch audits operating stem or rod;

Fig. 3 a detail of the minute dicating finger.

In 'the accompanying drawing the letter A designates a clock mechanism of any approved type and constituting a continuously operating power transmission means or member; a recording device or counter which in the form selected for illustration is made up of a number of rotatable disks, 1 and 2, which successively register units, tens, etc., as usual, the form illustrated preferably being the well known type wherein one series is adapted to be set at zero or the initial point when commencing a new count or registration and the other series adapted to record the total of successive counts or registrations, although any other suitable well known recording or registering means adapted to the purpose may be employed; and C a member connected with the member whose movement is to be registered or counted, whether such member be an engine or disk and inmachine of any character whatsoever whose movement will be transmitted through suitable connections to the counter or registering means when the latter is operatively coupled to the continuously operating power transmission means, such as the clock mechanism specified.

The continuously operating power transmission means, or clock mechanism will have the arbor 3, which may be the arbor of the minute hand of the clock, in alinement with the shaft 4 of the series of disks 1 of the counter B, so that the arbor and shaft may be coupled together, for instance by any suitable clutch device, such for illustration as a friction clutch which may consist of a sleeve 5 feathered to the arbor 3 so as to rotate therewith and be slidable thereon, and having a cone-shaped end 6 adapted to enter and frictionally engage with a coneshaped socket 7 in the end of the counters shaft 4' in order to rotate the shaft 4, or actuate the registering device or-counter, when the coupling is effected. The clutch is shiftedto'make the coupling when the movement of the engine or machine is to be recorded so that during such period the register or counter is positively driven by the train of clock mechanism and thus an even, steady and regular drive of the register or counter obtained and an accurate record made. When the engine or machine is not running, or its movement is not to berecorded, the clock mechanism and the counter are uncoupled so that the counter is not actuated,'although the clock mechanism continues to run or operate so that it is always in readiness for transmitting power tothe counter when coupled thereto. This clock mechanism may be a seven day, or longer running period clock, so that it need be wound up only once in a compartively long period of time.

As stated, the counter is actuated only during the period that the movement of the engine or machine is to be recorded, and for each complete revolution of the arbor of the clock mechanism a unit disk of the counter will be moved sufficiently to indicate one hour and for each succeeding hour the unit disk will be correspondingly shifted to in dicate the second hour and so on in succession for each hour, and when one unit disk has made a complete revolution a second disk will be moved to show the sum total represented by the first disk and so on from one disk to another, the counter indicating the sum total of the time during which the engine or machine has been running or in movement. Inasmuch as the register or counter is actuated only during the time that the engine or machine is actually running or operating the register or counter records only the actual running time and makes no record of the intervening time.

The clock mechanism and register or counter are automatically coupled when the counter is to record the movement that is to be registered, and automatically uncoupled when no registering is to be made. In the preferred embodiment of the invention this is effected by connecting the slidable member 5 of the clutch to a reciprocable member actuated through a suitable governor actuated from the engine or machine whose movement is to be recorded, or from a mem ber that is in motion when and during the period that the machine or engine is to have its movement recorded. The reciprocable Y member may consist of a flexible or yielding non-rotatable cable or rod 8 connected counter to actuate the counter. The yielding plates or springs of the governor, as shown, are connected at one end to a slidable hub 12 which is free to rotate on the rod 8 and slidable relatively to its longi tudinal axis so that when moved by the governor arms or plates it will abut against a collar or shoulder 13 on the rod 8 and thus move the rod longitudinally in one direction to effect the coupling between the clock mechanism and counter. The slidable hub may have ball bearings 14: held in place by a filler 15 so as to permit it to freely turn on the rod without rotating the latter. The other ends of the governor spring arms will be attached by a collar 16 and p n 17 to a tublar extension 18 of a rotatable shaft 20, so that on rotation of the shaft 20 the governor arms will be thrown out centrifugally and the reciprocable rod moved to effect the coupling mentioned. The purpose of the tublar extension 18 is to receive the reciprocable rod 8 and serve as a guide for the same in its reciprocation.

The rotatable shaft 20 constitutes the member referred to as the member which will be connected in some suitable way with the member (not shown) whose movement is to be recorded, which member may be an engine or machine stationary or otherwise, or an aeroplane. If it be an engine or machine, the member C or rotatable shaft 20 will be connected with a movable part of the engine or machine in any well known way by gear or friction drive, or by a pulley 21 from which a belt may be run to the engine or machine so .that the movementof the latter will be transmitted to the shaft 20 and by the latter to the governor and through it and the reciprocable rod 8 to the clutch which will effect the coupling between the clock mechanism and the counter so that the latter will be actuated by the constantly operating clock mechanism and thus register by the counter the period of running of the engine or machine. If the engine or machine stop or its speed slackens so as to check the running or going capacity of the engine or machine so that it is, practically, for the time being, idle then it will have no effect on the governor and the latter will assume its normal quiescent or state of rest, and thereupon the rod 8 may be moved to position to uncouple the clock mechanism and counter and thus during that period no record or count will be made as the same the running time in hours.

will not be necessary. This retraction or movement of the rod to the non registering condition of the parts may be effected by a spring 22 which may encircle the shaft 8 and bear against a collar 23 on the shaft and against a fixed abutment 24 so that it may expand to shift the rod 8 and through the yoke 9 effect the uncoupling of the clock mechanism and the counter. During such uncoupledperiod, or while the engine or machine is running idle, no record or count is made. Instead of revolving the shaft 20 by pulley, gear or friction clutch with a moving part of the engine or machine, it may be revolved by fan blades 25 attached thereto so that as the machine is traveling,-

for instance, an aeroplane, the fan will be rotated by the resistance of the air and the rotation of the fan imparted to the shaft 20, or member C, so as to couple together the clock mechanism and the counter by throwing the coupling clutch, and thus effect a record of the movement of the aeroplane and likewise of its motor while in operation to drive the plane even though the motor be not connected to the drive shaft as the shaft will be rotated by the air pressure on the fan while the plane is in flight and the coupling of the clock mechanism to the counter effected during the flight of the plane and the movement of the latter as driven from the motor recorded so that the operation'or running of the motor willthus be effected. From the foregoing it will be observed that from whatever source or by whatever means the shaft 20, or member C, be driven a record of the running of the engine or machine will be automatically made during the running period and the sum total of the running period indicated at all times, and that the registering will be automatically stopped or not made at other times.

The numerals on the unit disks indicate For the purpose of registering or indicating the fractional parts of an hour, where a more exact or refined indication is desired, I attach to the counter or recording shaft 4 a disk 25 whose periphery will be formed with a scale 26 indicating fractional or minute divisions of an hour, and associated with it will be a finger orpointer 27 which may be attached to the block 24 so that by means of the scale and pointer there may be read thefractional parts of an hour that the engine or machine has been in recording movement, the hour unit disks and the fractional hour disk together showing the number of hours and fractions thereof during Which a record or count has been made.

The clock mechanism and counter may be inclosed in a housing 28 which will be formed in any suitable manner to permit inspection of the counter and access for adjustment of its parts; the governor mechamsm may be inclosed in a housing 29; the reciprocable rod 8 in a housing 30; and the shaft 20 or member C in a housing 31; and

or movement of the engine or machine and indicates the sum total of the running or movement, the period during which the running or movement of the engine or machine is not to be recorded, or being idle, not being recorded. -A characteristic or distinctive feature is that the continuously operating power transmission means, for instance the clock mechanism, is coupled to the counter or register only during the period that the counter or register is to be actuated for registering or counting purposes, and un coupled at other times, and that the counter or register is rendered active for recording purposes only when the movement of the engine or machine is to be recorded or in other words when they are active or performing work to be recorded, during which period the member C or its element or shaft 20, is rotatable'or driven by the power transmitted thereto by the engine or machine, or movement of the aeroplane when the latter is driven by its engine or propulsion means.

It will also be observed that the coupling I member C, or shaft 20, is turned with suffi cient speed to throw out the governor arms that the coupling is effected and when the speed of the governor drops the uncoupling is effected. The device accordingly possesses characteristics of its own distinguishing over other registering or recording devices so far as known to me. The device also possesses the merit of simplicity of construction and a small number of parts and accuracy in registering or recording with liability of derangement of partsat the minimum. While the device has beerf described more particularly with reference to registering or counting elapsed periods of time, it is obvious that if the counters disks be made to indicate the distance Periods instead of time periods the counters will indicate distance periods instead of time periods with the several parts operating in substantially the same way. The claims accordingly are to be interpreted 'asembracing distance as well as time periods whatever be the characterizing phraseology employed.

I have illustrated and described with particularity the preferred details of construction but it is to be understood that changes may be made in the details without depart ing from the intended scope of the claims as sought to be expressed.

Having described myinvention and set forth its merits what I claim is:

1. An instrument for registering elapsed time during which a machine is in motion, comprising a continuously operating power transmission means, a device for registering the period of movement of the machine, a coupling for operatively connecting together said means and device, and means operable from the momentum of the machine whose movement is to be recorded for coupling to gether the continuously operating power transmission means and registering device to register themovement of the machine of which a registration is to be made.

2. An instrument for registering elapsed time during which a machine is in motion, comprising a continuously operating power transmission means, a device for recording the period of movement of the machine, a coupling for operatively connecting together said means and device. and means operable from the momentum of the machine whose movement is to be recorded for effecting the coupling together of the continuously operating power transmission means and recording device to record the movement of the machine of which a record is to made and permitting uncoupling of the power transmission means and recording device when no record is to be made.

3. An instrument for registering elapsed time during which a machine is in motion comprising a continuously operating power 7 transmission means, a device for recording the period oi movement of the machine, a

coupling for operatively connecting together said means and device, and means operable from the momentum of the machine whose movement is to be recorded for automatically actuating the coupling between said power transmission means and recording deviceto record the movement of the machin and at other times makes no record.

4. An instrument for registering elapsed time during which a machine is in motion, comprising a power transmission means, a device for recording the period of movement of the machine, a coupling for operatively connecting together said means and device when a record is to be made, and a governor and means operable from the machine whose movement is' to be recorded for operating said coupling.

5. An instrument for registering elapsed time during which a machineis in motion,

comprising a power transmission means, a-

device for recording the period of movement of the machine, a coupling for operatively connecting together said means and device when a record is to be made, a reciprocating member connected with said coupling, and a governor operatively associated with said reciprocating member and operable from the machine whose movement is to be recorded to actuate said reciprocating member to effect the coupling of the power transmission means and recording device when a record is to be made.

6. An instrument for registering elapsed time during which a machine is in motion, comprising a continually operating power transmission means, a device for recording the period of movement of the machine, in-

eluding whole number units and a fractional number unit, a coupling for operatively connecting together the power transmission means and recording device when a record is to be made, and means operable from the machine whose movement is to be recorded for effecting the coupling together of the power t 'ansmissio-n means and rc-rording de-.

vice to record the movement of the machine of which a record is to be made.

7. An instrument for registering elapsed time during which a machine is in motion, comprising a continuously operating clock mechanism, a device for recording the period of movement of the machine, a clutch for connecting the clock mechanism and re- EDWIN SANFORD PHELPS.

VVitnessesz- MARTHA HELEN NARDEN, CLARA A. RYLEY. 

